


Our Tomorrow

by MistressofYaoi



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: M/M, Nygmobblepot, Season 5 Spoilers, Wedding Drama, groomzillas, kidnapped the best men, nygmobblepot wedding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-02-10 07:21:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18655663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressofYaoi/pseuds/MistressofYaoi
Summary: A couple of months after Oswald is released from Blackgate and Edward Nygma’s escape from Arkham Lucious Fox and Jim Gordon are kidnapped and when they find out why they might just end up wishing this was just a simple hostage situation. Or the Nygmobblepot wedding we wanted and the grooms to be have kidnapped their best men for the occasion.





	1. Chapter 1

 

Things had been very busy in Gotham after the long-awaited return of Bruce Wayne to the city, though the eccentric billionaire had yet to make a public appearance, it had even gotten to the point where there were those within the city who were beginning to wonder if he really was back. There were however a select few who had the chance to have an audience with Bruce since his return and one of those men was Lucius Fox who had been working closely with Bruce on the young man’s secret side project and this was why he was currently in the man’s office at Wayne Towers. It meant that Lucius Fox spent many late hours at Wayne Towers and quite often did not leave until well past midnight.

He had just arrived in the secure underground car park when he was suddenly grabbed from behind, a large bag pulled over his face as he was shoved into a waiting car that quickly sped off. Across town, just a few minutes earlier one of the cities most public heroes James Gordon had also been grabbed in a similar manner.

An hour later both men were dragged out of the vehicles to an unknown location and harshly shoved inside before their bound hands we untied and then their hoods were removed. The first thing Lucious noticed was the equally disheveled commissioner standing next to him and then he noticed the other two men in the room, Oswald Cobblepot who had a very smug expression on his portly face and a look of shocked disgust on Edward’s face as he glared at Jim before he turned to face Oswald beside him and all but screeched at the man.

“Are you fucking serious? You could have chosen anyone and you choose Jim Fucking Gordon Oswald? Really? It’s his damn fault we have had to wait this long!” the man looked like he was about to go full tantrum before Oswald placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“Well, who else was I going to ask? Jerimiah?” came the nonchalant reply from Oswald as he just smiled at his companion. 

“Don’t even get me started on that nutcase Oswald if he shows up everything will be ruined!” Edward gave an exhausted sigh as he rubbed his eyes in frustration and continued to glare at Jim before turning to face Oswald again.

As the two villains continued to argue both Lucious and Jim took in their surroundings and Jim soon began to recognize the room they were currently standing it, they were at the Van Dahl mansion, so it was true Oswald had been able to keep his family home. Lucius having never been a visitor to the mansion before had no idea where he was and decided to instead watch the arguing pair in front of him. Perhaps this had been a stroke of luck for him, Bruce had been suspicious that these two had been up to something since escaping custody the night that Jerimiah made his first move and it seemed whatever the two had planned Jim and himself were going to be hostages of some sort. Kidnapping the commissioner made more sense though than kidnapping himself as a hostage target, which then left the question as to why Edward was so upset to see Jim there. 

“Seriously Oswald why him? It’s his fault we were locked up in the first place!” it seemed Edward was beginning to sulk now, though there was still a sneer in his voice. He just stood there glaring down Jim Gordon, like some old guard dog ready to rip an intruder to pieces.

“Call me a sentimentalist at this point and just get over it! We don’t have time to argue on this. There is still so much that needs to be done, there’s still the cake to organize and the guest list and the tailor will be here to take measurements in the morning! We are just lucky Ivy offered to help with the flowers!”

“I still don’t know why you trust her with that, even if it is a wedding gift” and it was Ed’s sulking response that had Jim and Lucius to look at each other with worried glances.

"I’m sorry what? What exactly is going on here?” it was Lucius who chose to speak up first looking between the two arguing men. Who both went silent when they realized Ed’s slip up.

“Nice going my genius” Oswald glared at Edward before continuing. “On December 24th Edward and I are getting married, and you lovely gentlemen have been selected to be our best men.”

And that is how the most difficult and infuriating week in Lucious Fox’s life began as he looked over at Jim Gordon who had a very similar look of dread on his face. Something told both men a hostage situation would have been so much better than dealing with this.


	2. Breakfast Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after being told that they will be the best men for Oswald and Edward's upcoming wedding Jim and Lucius share breakfast with the would-be grooms and the question gets answered, after everything why did Oswald choose Jim?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is turning into quite the emotional beast, but I am having so much fun writing it! Thank you, everyone, both here and on Tumblr for your support of this fic!

The next morning Jim and Lucius woke up in one of the guest rooms of the mansion that they had been shoved in by Oswald’s personal security the night before and the same man came to collect them a little after seven. The tall bodyguard from the night before offered them fresh clothes to wear and after getting changed they were escorted to the dining room. Now that there was more light they got their first good look at the man, someone neither Jim nor Lucius recognized. He was a tall, a very solid man that looked to be pure muscle, but unlike much of the hired muscle that Oswald use to keep around him like Gabe in the past, he looked every bit the dapper gentleman despite his size, from his clean nails and clean-shaven face to his blonde hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. Just before they reached the dining room he turned and smiled politely at Jim and Lucious. “I am so glad I am not in either of your shoes right now.” the man chuckled before continuing. “Good luck to both of you, because you are really going to need it.”

As they entered the dining room they were greeted by the smell of fresh coffee, cigarette smoke, and pancakes. Sitting at the end of the table sat a casually dressed Oswald. Well casual by Oswald Cobblepot standards which were a pair of dark purple trousers and a white dress shirt and house shoes, his ever-present cane was leaning against the table next to him. He sits with a newspaper in his hands and a cigarette holder perched between his lips as he quietly reads. Upon noticing their arrival he lowers the newspaper and smiles at them, the morning light catching on his monocle.

“Please take a seat and help yourselves to breakfast, Edward will be back soon he is just checking to see if any last minute RSVP’s have come through.”

“So last night was not some crazy dream then…” commented Jim as he poured himself and Lucius a cup of coffee each. Soon after the two men took their seats at the table an excited Edward Nygma made his entrance into the room wearing an emerald green robe and matching slippers making a beeline straight for Oswald a look of pure glee on his face.

“Good news Oswald! Jonathan and Jervis have said they can make it and to not worry about a plus one for either of them, apparently, they are coming as each other’s dates!” Edward practically chuckled and cheered as he took a seat next to his husband to be before glaring at Oswald and snatching the cigarette holder from between his lips. “Really Oswald? You promised to cut back!” he then leaned forward a placed a chaste kiss on Oswald’s lips. “Well at least you took my advice and switched to menthol, so it won’t feel like I am kissing an ashtray on the big day” he smirked before helping himself to some breakfast choosing to completely ignore the others sitting at the table.

“By Jonathan and Jervis, you don’t by any chance mean Crane and Tetch do you?” asked Lucius cautiously looking up from his plate of pancakes midbite. This assumption caused a worried look and a choked sound to come from Jim as he was taking a sip from his coffee next to him. Jonathon was a common enough name that it could be anyone but Jervis not so much, so it was a logical conclusion to come to. Scarecrow and Mad Hatter were on the guest list and from what was said last night, Poison Ivy would also be at the ceremony as well. It left Lucious wondering just how many of Gotham’s infamous rogues would be present on the day. All gathered in one place. That was a worrying thought and something that would most certainly catch the attention of a certain vigilante.

“Clever as ever Foxy, yes they are. I do hope the guest list won’t be a problem for you Jimbo.” he practically spat the nickname before continuing the mini-rant “There won’t be any illegal activities happening at the event so there will be no reason to bring out the arrest warrants. Let’s just hope that damn bat stays away from where he is not wanted” finished Edward as he stacked his plate high with pancakes before drowning them in syrup.

“Eddie…” Oswald gave Nygma a warning look which caused Edward to give an annoyed sigh and eye roll before tucking into his breakfast.

After breakfast Edward excused himself saying he needed to freshen up before the tailor arrived and left without another word at anyone else, though not long after he left the room the guard from the hallway came in, it was the same guard who had made the comment towards Jim and Lucius earlier “Mr. Nygma asked me to escort Lucious to his office once he is done eating”

“Yes, he probably has his own plans he wants to discuss with Lucius. Very well he can be excused once he is done eating. It will give me a chance to discuss a few things with Jim before the tailor get’s here… oh and David please make sure Edward keeps to himself while the tailor is here I don’t want him trying to sneak in again, hopefully having Lucious and Jim here will keep him distracted enough.”

“Of course Mr. Cobblepot, we will not have a repeat of last time I promise.”

“Last time?” Jim asked cautiously as he finished his plate of food.

“When we decided on this wedding, we decided that we would both have certain aspects kept from the other so that there would be a pleasant surprise on the day for both of us. One of the early surprises we agreed upon was our outfits for the ceremony.” Oswald gave a light chuckle as he removed his cigarette holder from his mouth and removed the empty butt from the end before continuing. “Needless to say with Eddie’s love of puzzles he has been caught snooping on more than one occasion, that’s why I originally had to bring David here in to keep an eye on him, but of course sneaking around David just became another game for Ed it seemed. That’s why no ordinary bodyguard would be right for the job, David here is very good at dealing with someone as eccentric as Eddie. After all, he had nearly ten years of experience on keeping an eye on him.”

“He worked at Arkham?” asked Jim and Oswald just chuckled and gave a nonchalant shrug.

Both Lucius and Jim stare wide-eyed at David as Oswald lets this little bit of information sink in, the man just shrugs at their shocked expressions, though a wicked smile does grace his lips for a moment. There was obviously more at work here than him just being a former Arkham employee, but neither Jim nor Lucius were going to question it at this time. They were not given much time to process the information though because Oswald almost immediately asked David to escort Lucius out of the room and towards Edward’s personal office and as they left an awkward silence filled the room.

The truth was that Jim and Oswald had not been alone together since that night on the pier when Oswald held a gun to Jim with the intent of finishing things where they had started he had every intention on killing Jim that night until Jim had accused him of aiding in Edward’s escape from Arkham. Now Oswald would be lying if he had denied he had a plan in the works to break Edward out, but that particular night he had no intentions of doing so just yet. There were things that needed to be dealt with and one of those things was one James Gordon. So why then after everything had he chosen out of everyone he had to choose from within this city had he chosen Jim Gordon?

“Why Oswald?” he was broken from his thoughts at Jim calling out to him from across the table, a look of worried concern and hesitation on the detectives face.

“Why what James?” his response was probably the most detached tone he had ever spoken to the other man in ever and yet there was no malice in his voice.

“Why me Oswald? Why choose me? It makes no sense” Jim just could not comprehend why a man who just months ago was about ready to kill him, wanted him standing beside them at their wedding.

“As I said last night Jim, who else would I have chosen?” Oswald placed a fresh cigarette in the holder and lit it before taking a long drag before continuing. “You and me Jim, we share a history with this city. I told you that before, that day we fought for this city. That day I stood by your side to defend this city that was just as much a part of me as it is to you, but this city has taken a lot from me over the years since and before then. I have gained and lost power and every single time I gained something, I lost something just as important.” Oswald pauses and takes another drag, staring down Jim as he continued.

“I gave this city and gave you everything over the years. I was not trying to manipulate you in any way back then when I offered you my friendship, in truth, I really did want you as a friend because I knew how close to the edge of darkness I was and I saw you as a light that could have held and maybe even pulled me back. But it was not you who pulled me back from that dark place when he killed my mother. No, it was Edward and perhaps it was my influence on him that shaped the darkness that had always been inside him. I sometimes can not help but wonder if things would have turned out differently for all three of us back then if you had been the one to pull either me or him away from the edge Jim if just maybe things would have turned out differently for all of us. Your my last connection to the man I was before all this and probably the closest thing besides Edward to someone I consider family left in this world. That is why I chose you, James Gordon, to stand by my side when I commit myself to my one true love.”

Of all the explanations that Oswald could have given Jim for why he chose him, this was not what he was expecting. To have so many truths laid bare in front of him and in all honesty he did not know how to react. Oswald considered him family? After everything, he held that level of respect and familiarity with Jim, but that just left one question nagging at the back of his mind.

“Then why try and kill me as soon as you were released from Blackgate?”

Once again Oswald surprised Jim with his answer which began with a chuckle “I never said it was a functional family James”

~to be Continued


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucius and Edward spend some time together in Edward's office and talk

A person’s office can say a lot about the person it belongs to. This is something Lucius Fox had always thought and had helped him get to know many of those he worked with at Wayne Enterprises. This made him curious as to the kind of office Edward Nygma would keep for himself. Egotistical men proud of their wealth would decorate their offices with expensive pieces of art and those proud of their education would flaunt it by covering their walls with countless framed certificates and trophies. Then there would be the eccentric oddballs who would decorate their offices with whatever they were obsessed with, a perfect example of this was one employee at Wayne Enterprise who was a big game hunter and actually had a taxidermied lion in his office as well as other big game trophies on the wall. Lucius is not a fan of the man in that office.

Needless to say, he was not surprised when the bodyguard David stopped in front of a pair of large double doors and opened them to reveal what was most likely originally a library and still partly was. Most of the room was still set up to be a library with shelves upon shelves of books on every wall of the pentagon-shaped room except two. There was a small seating area in one corner of the room that held two couches and a coffee table between them that had a chess board set up that looked to be in the middlegame phase of the game. In front of a window on the which was on the farthest side of the room from the entryway there was a large desk that had papers scattered upon it in some sort of organized chaos as well as a tablet and there was also what appeared to be some kind ornate black box sitting on the desk not far from the chair behind the desk, it was at arms length away but out of the way.

On the wall next to the window there is a large fireplace that was currently quietly burning as it must have been lit not long ago. More than likely to take the chill off the room as winters in Gotham were notoriously cold, but what caught Lucius’s attention was the painting hanging above the mantle it seemed almost out of place within the dark furnishings of the room. It was a painting made up of many different pastel hues of color and the image on it was a pair of origami penguins. He could not help but approach the strange painting and upon closer inspection, he was able to make out a signature at the bottom of it. M.C Adelie.

Now Lucius had no real interest in art, but many of his co-workers at Wayne Enterprises were art connoisseurs or at least considered themselves to be and M.C Adelie was one of the most sort after artists of Gotham in recent years. He was a mysterious artist who never made public appearances much like a certain eccentric millionaire but he also never did interviews. To date, there were no photos or recordings of interviews with the young artist. The other odd thing about the artist was that there were certain people within Gotham he refused to sell his artwork to, and this list did, in fact, included many of Gotham’s social elite. He had even refused to sell anything to the museum owned by one Barbara Kean and had even sent threatening letters to those who had purchased his artwork that if they ended up in said museum he would never sell anything to them again. In short, the only thing that was really known about the artist was they were male and that they hated a lot of people in Gotham. So it was indeed odd to see a piece from said artist sitting in the office of the infamous Riddler of all people, perhaps it was a fake?

“It’s not a fake if that is what you are thinking.” Edward Nygma’s voice cut through Lucius’s thoughts and turned to see the man standing in the doorway dressed in casual slacks, a clean button-down shirt and pair of house slippers. His hair was a bit of a wet frizzy mess but he held a very smug smile on his lips “And it was not stolen either, it was an engagement gift to Oswald and myself from the artist.” finished Edward as he made his way over to the large desk.

“You know the artist?” Lucius turned away from the painting and also made his way over to the desk to sit in one of the chairs in front of it as Edward sat down behind the desk in the large emerald green throne-like chair.

“A personal friend of both myself and Oswald’s” Edward gave a very nonchalant answer. Did this mean the artist was one of Gotham’s criminals? That would explain why they were not a fan of Gotham’s elite. Was it one of the cities other infamous rogues that fought on a regular basis with Batman and if so who out of them would be so artistically inclined? It seemed Edward noticed the cogs turning in Lucius mind as he sat there watching the other man, a mischievous smile playing upon his lips.

“Don’t over think an unimportant detail Foxy, besides you can ask him yourself when he arrives tomorrow. Though I must request that you do not tell Oswald or Jim about our friend's arrival. It’s a surprise I know my fiance will enjoy.”

“His a  surprise guest?”

“Well ok, this one is more of a wedding gift really. He is a very good friend that Oswald has not seen in a very long time. Now onto the plans, you can help me with….”

The two spent several hours in the office going through various plans already in the works for the wedding. It seemed most of it was already planned and paid for, as it should be with less than a week to go. From what Lucius could surmise it seemed that Oswald was in charge of planning the ceremony side of things and Edward was in charge of planning the wedding reception afterward. This left Lucius wondering why Edward and Oswald had kidnapped Jim and himself, everything for the event was pretty much planned out. At the same time, he could not figure out all the anger Edward held for Jim.

“Your distracted” commented Edward while the two were taking a break from going over plans and were sitting on the couches playing a game of chess, it seemed that the previously set up game was one Edward had been playing against himself.

“Why was I kidnapped to be your best man?”

“Because Oswald is a very traditional man and your the only one I respect enough in this damn city to have to stand by me on the day,” replied Edward as he captured Lucius’s knight with a pawn. Lucius for his part was not surprised that Oswald held traditional values when it came to a wedding, he held himself very much like a true old-time gentleman in the times he had seen the man since his release from Blackkgate.

“But I suspect Lucius that is not the question you wanted to ask, that being said I can make a pretty accurate educated guess at this point. You want to know why I was so angry to see that Oswald chose Jim?”

“The thought had crossed my mind. As you know I myself still occasionally do work with the G.C.P.D as a consultant on cases. So I imagine this hatred is more than him just being the commissioner.”

A bitter laugh escaped Edward’s lips as he stood up from the couch and made his way over to the fireplace on the other side of the room.

“I had to wait over a decade to propose to Oswald thanks to Jim Gordon. The day we were arrested… that robbery...” another bitter laugh as he stared sadly into the flames of the fire. “That was where I was planning to propose to him, then Jim Fucking Gordon shows up ruins everything and then to add insult to injury we were kept separate throughout the entire time we were in lock up and then during the trial as well! We were not allowed a single moment together after the arrest!”

 

~to be Continued


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A confession of love, an arrest and the beginning of a ten-year separation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let's earn that M rating with this chapter shall we

Gotham - Roughly 6 Months After Reunification

 Oh, this felt so damn good! Without a doubt the last week had been the most fun Edward and Oswald had had in their entire lives. He had finally confessed his feelings to Oswald and the two were on a happy high neither one of them wanted to get down from. Who knew robbing a bank together again would be so thrilling? He could not help but pull the other man into a tight embrace as they stood there bags filled with loot and kiss the man he loved so very much, this was a thrill no other could come close to, things had been so dull leading up to this moment and it was about to get better as because as soon as he pulled away from this embrace, Edward Nygma was going to do the one thing he knew was going to make Oswald the happiest man in Gotham that night. Then he heard the sirens, alarms and the four letters that he hated to hear so much over the years.

“GCPD!”

 

A Week Earlier

With Jeremiah safely locked away in Arkham’s hospital wing in a coma, it had been a free for all for himself and Oswald once reunification had finished. Edward had really not cared that he had not been given any recognition for what he had done to help end the war that had fell upon Gotham against the government had come to an end after the final stand, even after all this time he still felt nothing for the people of this city. But Oswald was livid that he had not been seen as the hero he was during the period.

He had helped keep people safe, he had made sure they had ammunition to keep everyone safe outside the green zone and he had stayed in Gotham when he had successfully planned an escape from the city, but when it came to the city’s last stand he was not going to leave. He was going to stay and fight for the city that was just as much a part of him as he had become a part of it, Gotham ran through his veins and was just as much a part of him as the blood he had spilled upon her. It had become very clear, however, that the city had not loved Oswald in return; and if they were not going to worship him as the hero who stood beside the newly appointed commissioner Jim Gordon on that front line, then he would have this city fear him as The Penguin, king of her underworld once again!

While menaces like Scarecrow, Poison Ivy and Mad Hatter had quickly gone into hiding upon reunification, for fear of being locked away in Arkham, Oswald and Edward had, for the most part, stayed in the public consciousness. Oswald had made many public appearances to help the many displaced refugees who were turned away from other places of refuge due to their criminal background, a group which was mostly made up of former followers of Jeremiah and Scarecrow. He had given them a place to belong as he began to once again grow Gotham’s underworld from the ground up. Of course, this was not made obvious to outsiders and he put on the visage of helping those others would not look out for making him appear almost virtuous to the public eye. Once he had access to his money again when the banks in Gotham were finally re-opened he made many business purchases that included the land that once held The Sirens bar so that he could rebuild the Iceberg Lounge. He, after all, needed a legal business front. All this prep work, however, was tedious and boring to Edward and left him with a little too much time to think things through and decide what he really wanted for his future.

He had a lot of time during this period to really think about everything he and Oswald had been through, and not just through No Man’s Land. Everything. From their first meeting when he was a pathetic little yes man at the GCPD, to him finding Oswald in the forest when he was disposing of Kristen’s body. He thought about what a happy time it had been for him when Oswald had sprung him from Arkham and he had worked beside him as his campaign manager before the election and then his chief of staff when he became mayor. That is when their friendship had been at it’s strongest and that was why it had hurt so much when Oswald had killed Isabella and then for him to tell him, he did it because he loved Ed? At the time he could not even comprehend why someone would do something so cruel out of love and in return he had hurt Oswald in so many ways to try and destroy him. They fought back and forth for so long, Edward had shot Oswald thinking him dead only for him to come back alive. Oswald had frozen Edward. He thought he had finally rid himself of the other man when he made a name for himself in the narrows, life was never that simple.

He ended up being pulled into Oswald’s war with Sofia Falcone and just when it seemed he would have his revenge on the woman, Oswald gave up his revenge to save him? It made no sense and just left him even more confused. He had returned to the Narrows because that is where he had made his new home with Lee, but even that was not meant to last it seemed. He and Lee had killed each other, he clearly remembers the blade going into his gut, the last lights of life going out.

_“I’m going to fix you”_

Those words had haunted him the moment that electric charge had awakened the memory buried deep within his mind. He remembered dying and yet he had been brought back. Later he would find out that Oswald had paid Hugo Strange to bring both Lee and himself back. He wanted to ask ‘Why Oswald? Why bring me back after everything?’ and yet all he had managed to ask when he finally found Oswald was “You named your dog after me?”

Things became even more chaotic after that, what with Edward finding out why he was blacking out, getting help from Lucius to fix what was wrong with him to the best of his ability and then building a submarine that in the end, neither of them used, because Oswald wanted to save this stupid city!

Now that the dust had finally settled on Gotham and things were as normal as they ever were in this city, it would be the perfect time for a clean start. He could even leave Gotham once and for all. He would have no regrets leaving this city, it was something he had wanted for a long long time. After all, was said and done, it really was true. He felt nothing for this city and nothing but contempt for the people of it. It all meant nothing to him! And yet, there was something that stopped him from leaving and it was the same something that had stopped him from escaping on the sub all those months ago. Even now with the bridges just reopened yesterday, there was still something holding him to this city. That something was standing just a few feet away from him talking to the builder’s within the construction site that would become the new Iceberg Lounge talking to the crew of builders over his latest plans. Oswald Cobblepot was the reason he had stayed and he was slowly coming to terms with why there was no point in trying to deny it any longer the simple truth he had denied himself for so many years. It had always been Oswald and now the only time he ever seemed to feel anything was when he was in the company of the other man and just being friends or as Oswald had put it, ‘brothers’ was just not enough anymore.

As the both of them hopped into the waiting car outside the lounge to head back to the mansion Oswald turned and looked at Edward a worried expression on his face.

“You’ve been awfully quiet these last few days, my friend. Is everything ok?”

It was the most loaded question Oswald could have asked Edward at that very moment and in truth he did not really want to answer it, just yet. But that worried stare from Oswald’s one good eye and the guilt he felt as he saw the other now false eye made his stomach twist with guilt.

“I...I have just…” there was a short pause before Edward continued “I have just been thinking a lot these last few days” dammit he hated how unsure he felt about his own words, why was it that the only time his damn emotions got in the way now was when he was around Oswald?

“Well that’s nothing new for you my dear friend, I’m just curious what you have been scheming in that big brain of yours. I can not wait to see The Riddler make his grand re-introduction to the people of Gotham.” chuckled Oswald, his eyes filled with awe and excitement.

As the car began to move Edward let out a sigh, “The truth is Oswald, I have not even given that any thought at all… I’ve had other things on my mind.”

“Edward?” and there it was, that worried tone in Oswald’s voice, his friend knew something was wrong now. Edward turned away from that worried gaze and looked out the window and for a split second, he wondered what would be more painful, telling the truth or jumping out of this moving vehicle.

“Edward, you can tell me anything. You know that right?” Oswald reached out and placed a reassuring hand on Edward’s shoulder hoping the other man would turn and face him. Oswald had picked up that something was wrong almost a week ago now, he had hoped that his friend would eventually approach him and tell him what was wrong, but it never happened. Today had been the last straw as far as Oswald was concerned, every time he had looked over at Edward during their time out today the other man had been lost in thought with a look of worry or terrifying fear on his face. It was tearing Oswald apart to see Edward in such a state, but at the same time, he did not want to overstep the boundaries of this new found brotherhood of friendship between them.

Edward rolled his shoulders to shrug Oswald’s hand off of himself and just continued to stare out of the window before he answered “I’ve been thinking, why I even bother to stay in this city at this point. I keep thinking there is nothing here for me, I feel nothing for Gotham or it’s people but contempt. I have had countless opportunities in recent history to leave. But something keeps holding me back, keeping me here.”

It hurt when Edward shrugged his hand away from his shoulder and as Oswald sat there quietly listening to his friend’s declaration that felt so similar to the one he had made months ago after the final stand he could not help but notice the differences. All those months ago that declaration had been so assured and so filled with vigor and power but now Edward just sounded like something was tearing him apart inside, like something powerful was bubbling just below the surface. He hated this city and wanted to leave, but at the same time could not because something was holding him back? Oswald felt a tinge in his chest at that statement, a painful hope that maybe just perhaps that something was him? No that could not be it. The man Oswald had loved was long gone, the man in front of him had shunned away all his emotions he had said so himself, he felt nothing. Right?

No that was not completely right, what he felt nothing for was this city! That is what he had said, he had in no way said anything about how he felt about Oswald. He had felt something in that hug with Edward that night, maybe just maybe there was something there and there was only one way to find out what it was.

“Edward look at me...please?” Oswald’s voice was barely a pleading whisper, but Edward turned around as soon as the sounds reached his ears and as his eyes stared back at Oswald and all Oswald could see in those brown eyes was shame and fear.

“Go ahead Oswald, ask…” he was such a coward he could not even bring himself to say what he knew was true without one more push.

Oswald reached out both his hands and cupped Edward’s face and leaned forward before asking, “Why do you stay Edward? Why stay if you hate it here so much? Why stay and fight for a city you hate?”

Edward closed his eyes in a bid to fight off the tears he could feel building up in his eyes and placed one of his hands on one of Oswald’s “It’s you, Oswald, I don’t feel anything unless I am with you. I either feel nothing when I am alone or feel too much when I am around you, Oswald.”

That was enough for Oswald as he leaned forward and captured Edward’s lips with his own into a heated kiss that the other quickly returned savoring the first taste of Oswald on his lips as Edward pulled his friend into his lap. In that one moment in the back seat of the car so much was said between the two of them without words. Hands desperately grabbing and pulling at each other, each kiss more heated than the one before it and by the time the car pulled up to the mansion both men were in a disheveled, blissful mess with each other.

It was a night of many firsts for both men as Oswald happily pulled Edward out of the car as soon as he untangled his limbs from the other man. Almost tripping over himself as he made his way up the stairs to the second floor of the mansion only for Edward to catch him in his arms as he began to fall and then the both of them just for a moment staring adoringly at each other before bursting into giddy laughter that echoed throughout the empty walls of the estate and soon both men stumbled laughing into the master bedroom. Edward stumbling over to the bed shrugged off his jacket before sitting down on the edge before falling back onto his back, meanwhile Oswald made sure the door was shut and securely locked before turning around to see Edward Nygma lying on _his_ bed, dress shirt a mess of crinkles the top three buttons opened revealing the glistening skin beneath, a bright wide smile upon his lips and eyes staring at him and if possible when their eyes met, Edward’s smile just grew wider. Slowly he sat back up and reached a hand out toward him.

“Come here, Oswald” that welcoming invitation was enough to make Oswald’s heart soar, he had waited so long. Maybe at some point, he had been too impatient for this moment and had tried to force the others hand by taking away the person who had stole attention away from himself, but in doing that he had pushed this moment further away instead of pulling it closer. They had both hurt each other so many times, but right now in this very moment; none of that mattered. All that mattered was that he was being pulled into Edward’s warm embrace. All that mattered was they were finally together, really truly together and there was not a thing in Gotham that would ever pull them apart again.

Soft touches turned rough as they pulled at each other's clothes, neither seemingly able to be able to remove the others fast enough. The feel of Oswald’s wet tongue on his bare skin, traveling down his chest ignited a fire within Edward that had him pulling the smaller man back on top of him. The bliss of both their cocks coming in contact with one another for the first time unencumbered by a barrier of cloth was all too heavenly and covered both of them in tantalizing goosebumps and then Edward had brought his hand around both their aching members. This brought the most glorious sounds from Oswald in Edward’s opinion, mewling and moaning his name as they kissed.

“I love you so much Oswald” growled Edward into the others ear and that was all it took to send Oswald over the edge the first of many times that night and the following day. By the next night, they were masters of the other’s body and what they loved and for the first time in a long time both found contented bliss with the world, but in doing so they also both decided it was time for that promised reintroduction to Gotham as the criminal masterminds they bother knew they were.

A week later The Riddler and The Penguin made their big crime return with a most magnificent bank robbery that they knew people would be talking about for years to come! They were so engrossed in each other and the thrill of the crime that they had overlooked one big obstacle, one they had both underestimated greatly. The GCPD was a much greater threat to them than it had ever been before No Man’s Land and they made it to the bank just as the two criminals were making their glorious escape. They were both quickly apprehended by the police and were also immediately separated when they were brought in. Now all present would have expected one Oswald Cobblepot to be the one to go full tantrum when they were separated, but through years of being arrested again and again Oswald had chosen to keep his cool and would have stayed that way, if Edward had not gone damn near feral upon being separated from Oswald as they were escorted into the GCPD. Kicking and screeching at the men that had dragged him in,

“Let me go you imbeciles! Oswald! Oswald! OSWALD!!!!” his wild eyes watching as they took Oswald away from him. No, this could not be happening he had finally allowed himself to be happy with Oswald, it was not going to end this way! And then Jim Gordon had approached him, in an attempt to calm him down and Ed saw red. Why did Jim always have to ruin his fun?

“Ed, you need to calm down…” the rest of what Jim was going to say was cut off when Edward Nygma spat in the commissioners face and then proceeded to snicker at the shocked look on his face.

“Fuck you Jim Gordon!” he screeched at Jim as he watched Oswald disappear into one of the interview rooms, “You ruined everything… it was going to be so perfect... It was going to make him so happy… You won’t take him away from me again JIM!” he was rambling now but he did not care, damn the GCPD. He had planned everything so perfectly and they had still stopped him.

No one around The Riddler could understand what he was mumbling under his breath as he was dragged into an interview room, but once he was cuffed to the table something in the man snapped and he just went completely silent. With no Oswald around he once again felt nothing.

When they come back to interview him he said nothing. When his lawyer came he said nothing. When they dragged him off to Arkham he said nothing and when he found out that Oswald had been sentenced to ten years in Blackgate, he screamed and sobbed until the guards sedated him.

~to be Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this chapter took so long to come out everyone, I kept rewriting different parts of it until I was happy with it. The confession scene, in particular, gave me a bit of trouble but after some help from some lovely fellow writers, I was finally happy with it! Kudos and Comments always welcomed my lovely readers!


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